Exploring The Influence of COVID-19 on Initial Teacher Education in Malta: Student Participation in Higher Education

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition from onsite to online learning spaces for initial teacher education (ITE); with Universities even adopting new modes of pedagogy and assessment. This study explores: (1) how Maltese ITE undergraduate early years and postgraduate primary education students dealt with more remote forms of learning during the pandemic in Malta, and (2) the teaching/lecturing modes used, by lecturers, for remote learning, assessment and concerns that tie-in with broader student wellbeing. The data were gathered through an online quantitative survey designed to collect information about ITE students’ views. Student responses strongly suggest that in the eventuality of an ongoing vaccination ‘post-COVID’ era, ITE within HE programmes should consider revisiting the course content and delivery, supporting and fostering, blended and online approaches. A ‘blind spot’ reflecting the struggle for independence, autonomy, and control during COVID-19 in a postcolonial Maltese Higher Eduction context also emerged. The insights gained highlight how ITE students’ views on their experiences of online pedagogy, assessment, and how these new modes impacted their wellbeing within a Maltese HE context can serve to inform policy and practice. These results emphasize the need to promote participatory research amongst university students as key to inform HE policy and practice. Keywords: Initial Teacher Education; Online learning; Covid-19; student participation; Higher Education